Car-coupling



(N0 Modem I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- A. R. HEATH.

' UAR COUPLING.

No. 408,481. Patented Aug. 6, 1-889.

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ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. R. HEATH. GAR GOUPLILIG.

(No Model.)

No. 408,481. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

(N0 Mbdel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3] A R. HEATH.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

N. PETERS, Phalcrmhngnphur. wnhingmn, D c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A.R.H EATH. GAR COUPLING.

-No. 408,481. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

WITNESSES.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED RILEY HEATH, OF COVINGTON, INDIANA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,481, dated August6, 1889.

Application filed April 3, 1889. Serial No. 305,815. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED RILEY HEATH,

of Covington, in the county of Fountain and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and Improved Car-Coupling, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved automaticcoupling of simple and durable construction, by means of which carsprovided therewith may be coupled to cars havinglike couplings, orhaving couplings of the ordinary link-and-pin class.

The invention consists in various novel parts and combinations of thesame designed to improve the various features of the coupling, ashereinafter particularly described, and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part ofthis specification, in which similar letters ofreference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent front elevations of a car provided with myimproved coupling, showing diiferently-constructed uncoupling devices.Fig. 4. is a perspective view of the draw-head. Fig. 5 is a like Viewillustrating a modified construction of draw-head hereinafterparticularly referred to. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional. elevationof the ends of two cars provided with my improved coupling, showing thelatter in the coupled position. Fig. 7 is a partly sectional plan view,the couplings being in the position shown in Fig. 6 and Figs. 8 and 9are respectively an end view and a partly-sectional side elevationillustrating a further modification.

Referring to the parts of the coupling, the draw-head A thereof isprovided wit-h a vertical partition A, dividing the draw-head into thelongitudinal recesses a a, which are preferably open top and bottom, andthrough and across both of which extends the axial pin B, which forms inone recess a the pivot for the coupling-hook O, and in the adjoiningrecess a forming the coupling-pin with which an opposing coupling-linkengages. The recess a is preferably extended a shorter distance backthan its companion recess, and is formed with a concaved rear wall a fora purpose hereinafter explained.

The coupling-hook O, which is pivoted at its rear end on the pin Bwithin recess a, as specified, is formed with an oblong slot 0, throughwhich the pin B passes, and its downwardly and rearwardly extended end0' is weighted to normally maintain the hook in the coupled position, orin position to be coupled. The upper edge of the hook is provided with arearwardly-disposed hook 0 forming a recess 0 the front edge of whichhook strikes against the axial coupling pin B of an opposing draw-headin the action of coupling, which causes the coupling-hook to bedepressed until the hook 0 passes beneath the said opposingcoupling-pin, whereupon the Weighted end a of the coupling-hook falls,throwing hook c upward, the opposing coupling-pin B being received inthe recess 0 coupling the cars. The extreme forward end of thecoupling-hook C, beyond the hook 0 thereof, is formed with a verticaloblong slot 0 that is designed to receive the coupling pin of anordinary link-and-pin coupling when desired.

The special purpose of the oblong pivotslot 0 is to allow the link to bethrown back against the concaved wall a of the recessed draw-head whenthe cars are brought together, whereby the pins B will be relieved ofall shock.

Referring especially to Fig. 1, which illustrates the uncoupling devicesfor passengercars, D is a rod having a preferably loose connection atits lower end with the weight end of the coupling-hook, which connectionis shown in the drawings as a staple-like device d for the coupling-hookengaging the eye (I of rod D. The upper end (Z of the rod D is suitablyformed to afford a handle to be grasped by the train-hand, and below theupper end (1 there is formed on the rod an eye d which is adapted to behookedover any one of a series of upwardly-projecting hooks e on theguard-rail E of the car. By raising the weighted end of thecoupling-hook by means of rod D the hook c of said couplinghook isthrown out of engagement with the pin B, uncoupling the cars.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated the uncoupling devices preferred for flat cars,said devices consisting of. chains F, that are secured to the rear endof the coupling-hook, extending up over pulleys or eyes f to the side ofthe car,

where, in practice, a series of hooks will be located to be engaged bythe chain, whereby the coupling-hook will be held at any desired heightto couple onto a higher or lower opposing draw-head.

\Vith a freight-car I prefer the uncoupling devices illustrated in Figs.3, 6, 7, and 8. In this case a lever G is suitably secured at one end tothe coupling-hook, and extends outward in an approximately horizontaldirection to or near the sides of the car, and is fulcrumed at or neartheir center on the lowerends of depending rods G on the ear-body. Therods G are formed at their lower ends with eye or hook g, and theoperating-levers G are formed with an elongated loop 9 one side ormember of which loop rests in the eye or hook g, affording a varyingfulcrum-point for the operating-rod to enable the latter to accommodateitself to the vertical movement of the coupling-hook. One of the saidoperating-levers will be arranged at each side of the car.

The car is provided with a vertical series of downwardly-extending hooksg, beneath which the lever G is received for maintaining thecoupling-hook in a given position.

The draw-head may be formed of bar-iron, if desired, as shown in Fig. 5,in which A represents a U-shaped bar-iron casing having a partition A,that extends from the front end of the draw-head rearwardly, being bentlaterally at its inner end to accommodate a block A the forward end a ofwhich block is similarly concaved to the corresponding portion of thedraw-head shown in the other figures, and for a like purpose. The axialcoupling-pin B extends through the ends of easing A and partition A andperforms the same functions as in the draw-head shown in the remainingfigures.

In Figs. 3, 6, and '7, II represents a rubber or other spring-buffersecured to the front platform of the car, which is designed to receivethe force of the impact on the cars com ing together, the buffers ll ofopposing cars contacting when the draw-heads are forced back beneath theplatforms. The buffers ll would of course receive the full force ofimpact should the draw-heads not buff fairly or be arranged to notproject beyond the earplatforms.

A projection I, Fig. (i, is provided on the draw-head to afford anadditional or alternative means of coupling the car to the shacklebar ofa locomotive.

In the draw-head is formed a vertical hole a through which the ordinarypin of a linkand-pin coupling is passed.

The coupling-hook may be arranged, it de sired, to be operated by a cordfrom the engineers cab, as indicated at J in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the draw-head is formed with a recess a for receivingthe weighted end of the coupling-hook when the latter is in theuncoupled position. In these figures, also, the attachment for operatingthe coupling consists of a shaft K, journaled beneath the cars, its endsbeing provided with handles 70. Centrally of the shaft is formed thecrank portion K, said crank portion extending around the coupling-hookand formed with a loop that engages and prevents undue lateral play ofthe coupling-hook, which hook is provided with a keeper L, that acts asa stop for the loop. By this means the coupling may be operated fromeither side of the car.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination,with the draw-head formed with arecess having a concaved rear wall d of a coupling-hook C, having anoblong slot 0 and pivoted in said recess by a pivot-pin passing throughsaid ohlong slot, substantially as described.

2. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head formed with apartition, forming recesses a a, open at top and bottom, of a pin B,extending across said recess, and a coupling-hook pivoted in recess a bythe pin B, the portion of said pin in recess a afiording an engagementfor the hook of an opposing coupling-hook, substantially as described.

3. The coupling-hook 0, formed with an oblong transverse slot 0,weighted rear end 0, rearwardly-projecting hook portion 0 011 its upperedge, and with a vertical oblong slot a in its forward end,substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a recessed draw-head havinga pin extending across the recess thereof, of a coupling-hook pivoted inthe recess of the draw-head and having a weighted rear end and avertical slot in its forward end, the hook being adapted to engage thepin of the opposing draw-head and the slot to receive the coupling-pinof an ordinary link, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, a recessed draw-head having the pin B extendingacross the recess thereof, and the coupling-hook C, provided with theslot c, through which the pin B passes, the weighted rear end 0, and thevertical slot- 0 in its forward end, the hook being adapted to engagethe pin of the opposing draw-head, and the slot 0 to receive thecoupling-pin of an ordinary link, in combination with means for liftingthe said hook, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The combination, with a draw-head, of a weighted coupling-hookpivoted to said drawhead and operating devices for said hook, consistingof the rod G, united thereto and formed with an oblong loop, the saidrod being fulcrumed at said loop portion, substantially as described.

ALFRED RILEY HEATH.

IVitnesses:

HOMER SEWELL, JOHN G. KEEFER.

